Beautifully Cursed, Hidiously Blessed
by younggrimm
Summary: Twin sisters, Hime and Tohru Honda, move in with their classmate Yuki Sohma. Hime, the quiet older twin, is immediately suspicious of the Sohma family, not knowing if they're safe in that house. They soon figure out the Sohma's curse. However, Hime keeps quiet of her own family. Yuki knows she's hiding something. Tohru doesn't even know her family secret, and that's fine with Hime.
1. Chapter 1

_**Bold Italics**_= Element/Elemental speaking

_Normal Italics_= Hime's thoughts

"_Quote Italics"_= Hime's writing

Chapter 1: Rats, Cats, and Dogs! Oh, my!

Hime stood straight up, her short blonde hair blowing in the evening breeze. _**There's been a land slide**__. _the wind whispered to her. There was no need for her to be told twice; she could smell misplaced soil in the air. And because God had a sick sense of humor, it was by the tent. She quickened her pace.  
As she expected, the thin orange fabric that served as her temporary shelter was buried under piles of mud and muck. One question raced through her mind. _Was Tohru still inside? _She immediately dropped to her knees and started to dig through. Her blue school uniform was soon covered in wet dirt. She slowly stopped as she sensed that there was no living creature underneath.  
"Hime?" a sweet girly voice called her name. She turned to find Tohru. She threw her arms around the girl and drew her close.  
"I thought you were in the tent." Hime whispered in Tohru's ear. Her voice was soft and low, barely a whisper. She swept some of Tohru's long brown hair behind her ear. It was then that she noticed they weren't alone. Behind her stood Yuki Sohma, a handsome classmate of theirs. His dark gray bangs hung over his forehead and framed a slightly feminine face. He was about two inches taller than herself. Next to him was Shigure Sohma. His older cousin had short black hair and dark eyes. He was even taller than Yuki.  
"Where are we going to stay now?" Tohru asked. Hime just smiled sadly, not knowing how else to respond to the younger girl. She watched as Yuki and Shigure talked a bit. Finally, they both nodded.  
"Why don't you stay with us for the night?" Yuki suggested. His voice was soft and mellow, always keeping a calm aura. Hime hesitated. She still didn't know if the Sohmas were friends, or if they'd pose a threat to Tohru. While walking to school that morning, she was close enough to Yuki to tell that he didn't have the same scent the average human carries. Something was off about this family, and she didn't like not knowing if they were safe. Tohru watched Hime's face, trying to find the answer. Hime found no other option, so she nodded her head.  
Yuki led them back to the house. Hime glanced at Tohru, finding her skin paler than usual. She remembered Yuki commented on it earlier, but she thought it was just due to living in the tent. Instead, she had a fever. Hime started to feel like she failed her mother. How could she hope to protect her sister from others if she can't even protect her from the elements?  
"Hime?" Yuki pulled her from her thoughts. He stood at the front door, waiting for her to come inside. His violet eyes stared at her with concern. She smiled in appreciation and followed the others in the house. Shigure set out a sleeping bag and started to pull out a second. Hime shook her head.  
"Hime doesn't like to sleep in a bed or anything. Actually, I've never seen her sleep before." Tohru explained.  
"I'm sure she could tell us herself." Shigure commented.  
"Come to think of it, I don't think she's ever spoken. At least, I haven't seen her speak before. I also didn't know you knew each other, let alone live together." Yuki added. Tohru looked to Hime for permission to tell them the truth. She contemplated whether it was safe. Weighing the options, she found it was safe enough to spill that can of beans.  
"If you want to know the truth, Hime and I are twin sisters. She convinced me years ago to say we didn't know each other. She said she doesn't want the other students to make fun of me for having such a strange sister. As for her not speaking, it's not that she tries to be rude by not speaking, but she can't speak. Her vocal chords are extremely weak. Her voice can't reach above what would be considered a whisper to us." Yuki finally understood why the other students made fun of Hime. He knew she was a nice girl, having been paired up with her in a class project, but he thought she was just quiet because she was shy. He never saw her interact with anyone. She always kept to herself.  
Tohru settled into the sleeping bag, resting her head on her sister's lap. She began to talk about their mother. How important she was to them. As Tohru told the story, Hime wondered how different their mother appeared to each girl. Tohru soon shared their mother's death. _If only Tohru knew the truth._ Soon, Tohru fell asleep, leaving the blonde to bathe in the moonlight that stretched through the front entrance.

Morning sunlight filled the room quicker than Hime thought. She sat in the corner of the room, Tohru still slept near the door. Shigure had left in the middle of the night, but she didn't remember seeing him leave. She gasped, realizing she had fallen asleep! She stepped outside to get some air and then slapped herself across the face. She can't afford to sleep! She knew better!  
"Hime?" Yuki, having watched that little display, reached to set a hand on her shoulder. That slap will surely leave a mark. She saw the movement and quickly stepped back to avoid the contact. Worry painted his eyes, but he said nothing. She smiled the sweetest smile she could muster, showing she was alright. He saw that it was fake, but decided it would be best not to press the matter. After a moment of awkward silence, Tohru joined her sister in the doorway.  
"Yuki! This must have taken you all night!" Hime noticed Yuki held four bags in his hands, both of which were not dirty. Someone else did the digging. That didn't help their case in her mind. Two guitar cases sat on the porch steps by his feet. Hime covered her eyes with her palm. She became concerned for her observation skills. _My senses are already dying._ _Fan-freaking-tastic. _She stared at her instruments as Tohru bombarded Yuki with questions.  
"It's a secret." was his response. Hime narrowed her icy eyes, deciding to keep a closer eye on them than she originally planned. Whatever to protect Tohru.  
Sometime while Hime was lost in her thoughts, a new habit she'd need to break yesterday, the Sohmas had invited the girls to live with them. Tohru immediately rejected the offer. Hime shot her a quick look that only Tohru would pick up.  
"Besides, where else can you go?" Yuki asked, rather rudely, but it made Tohru shut up. The girl looked to Hime for permission, who nodded happily. Wondering how her sister could accept an offer like that, without so much as a second thought, she finally gave in. All four had soon worked out an agreement; the sisters will do the housework in exchange for their room. Hime fingered the blue topaz stone that hung between her breasts as she thoroughly examined the house.  
"Here we are. Sorry for the smell." Yuki led them in the spare room and made his way to the window. "It's probably best to air this room out for a bit." Just as he opened the window, Hime heard the ceiling start to crack, and eventually fall through. A boy around their age stood among the broken wood.  
"Yo!" he yelled, addressing Yuki. Hime couldn't make out any facial features, seeing as he landed with his back to them. However, she noted his bright orange hair. That, and the extreme tension between the two boys. Tohru noticed this as well, and she stepped forward to stop the upcoming fight. But she slipped on a piece of wood and fell onto carrot-top. With a puff of smoke and a shocked expression from Yuki, Tohru held an orange cat in her hands. Hime stared at the animal in her sister's grip. _This is going to be interesting.  
_ Shigure popped his head in the room. "Yuki, what was that noise I heard? Kyo isn't here, is he?" Tohru righted herself and started to apologize to the boy, but stopped her words the moment she saw the cat. "Ah! I've turned him into a cat! I'm so sorry!" She shook the cat in a fit of confusion and worry.  
"We need to get him to a doctor!" she started to run from the room, but a loose board fell to her head. Hime saw the potential danger, but didn't reach the wood in time. It made contact and Tohru fell into Yuki and Shigure. More smoke filled the room. Tohru about passed out when she saw a black dog and white rat standing where the other two boys once were. Hime couldn't help but smirk. _Very interesting, indeed. _


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Of Curses and Family Secrets

Hime followed her sister down the stairs, trying to catch her to calm her down. She yelled to call a hospital and get the boys some help. She even went up to the mailman and said "Look! It's terrible! They're animals!" He obviously didn't understand why she was freaking out, but decided to humor her. The black dog took the mail from the boy and he made his leave. Hime set a hand on Tohru's shoulder, turned her, and touched their foreheads. She stroked her brown hair, Tohru's nerves soon settled. At least, until they heard a voice from behind them.

"Great! How can I make up an excuse if you both transform, too?" the cat had his back arched and his fur stood on end. His garnet eyes were slit as he hissed every word.

"Don't you dare blame this on us, you stupid cat!" the rat yelled back. Hime stared at the little creature. She wasn't even bothered that they were talking.

"Go ahead! Say that again!"

"Stupid. Cat."

"Both of you, stop fighting!" the dog intervened, throwing his head back and causing the rat to fall from between his ears. Hime crouched by the dog, her interest completely locked on the rodent. "Hime, Tohru, I'm a dog. Yuki is a rat. That is Kyo." he gestured to the cat. "The Sohma family has been under a curse for almost a century. We're cursed with the twelve animals of the zodiac."-Hime pointed to the orange feline- "Sorry, twelve animals, plus the cat. We transform if we are hugged by a member of the opposite sex or if our bodies are under a great deal of stress."

Hime poked the small rat with the tip of a long purple nail. He made eye contact with her, his violet eyes slightly wide. She stroked his soft fur and broke into a wide smile.

"U-um..." Yuki had no idea what to say about the sudden contact. Never before has he seen her touch anyone besides Tohru.

"Hime has a fascination with animals. Rodents especially." Tohru explained. The older girl made a face that implied she would be laughing, if she could, as she pet between his ears and stroked a spot along his neck.

"There's something you should know. When we change back," -smoke filled the hallway- "we're naked." Shigure said, mighty casually. Tohru tried to climb the wall. Meanwhile, Hime wolf whistled. _I'm definitely going to like it here. And, now I know why they smell different! _Hime felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her chest. They were safe here.

"We must seem very strange to you." Shigure, Yuki, and the girls sat at the table. Kyo stayed on the porch. _Where he can cool off so he doesn't steam the place up. _Tohru was obviously putting the pieces together. The curse explained Yuki's behavior toward his admirers, male and female.

"It's not your fault if your family's cursed." Tohru said. Hime gave her a sad smile, a look that Yuki did not miss. Shigure and Tohru began a conversation about the cat from the story, her dark blue eyes widening with excitement. Hime stared off into space, thinking about how they could possibly live here without giving away her own secrets. She even tuned out Shigure's voice. Eventually, the picking from his older cousin sent Kyo over the edge.

"Would you stop blaming me?" he yelled, jumping from his sitting position. "If you want somebody to blame, blame them! They shouldn't even be here!"

"Who we allow into this house isn't any of your concern." said Yuki. He swept his bangs from his eyes. "You're the one that shouldn't be here." That comment didn't sit well with Kyo, for he slammed his fist into the table. The piece of furniture split in two, the edge of one side nearly hitting Tohru. Luckily, Hime pushed her out of the way. The splintered wood scratched her instead, a small line of blood trickling from her shoulder. Kyo paused when he realized what he did. Hime didn't acknowledge the pain, but walked to the bathroom to wash the red beads from her skin.

When she came back, Yuki had his foot far above his head. He had kicked Kyo through the door and into a rock in the yard. She noticed the top button of Yuki's shirt was undone. She didn't understand why he would have to do that just to kick carrot-top from the porch.

"I told you I wouldn't hold back." he walked back into the house. His eyes widened when he saw the cut on Hime's shoulder. "Hime, you're hurt." _Thank you, Captain Obvious. _Hime, attempting to show she was fine, gave a nervous smile.

"I'm sure she's fine. Besides, she's had a lot worse." Tohru clamped her hand over her mouth and looked to Hime apologetically. Hime's blonde brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" Yuki asked. Neither girl answered. This was one of the only secrets Tohru knew about, and Tohru was the only other person who should know about it. Suddenly, Tohru jumped up. "We're late for school!"

Hime joined her in a rush to get ready. Her blue school uniform was covered in dirt, but she was fine with it. Unlike her sister's, Hime's skirt reached passed her knees. She tied the knot on her sailor style top. Without even glancing in a mirror, she lined her eyes with blue coral, making them seem to glow electric blue. She switched the liner with a ruby colored lipstick and stuck them in her pocket.

"Do you really want to show up in that?" Shigure pointed to their uniforms. Hime had no problem with the stains, and neither did Tohru.

"I know, but we promised Mom we'd go to school."

"A promise is a promise. Which reminds me, I'll have to tell Akito about what happened here."

"Who?" Tohru didn't get that the head of the family had to know some outsiders knew about the family secret. Hime glanced at Yuki, who developed a look in his eye she didn't like. This Akito must have really done him wrong to earn him a look like that from the mere mention of his name. She startled with an alarm sounding from her watch. With a final goodbye, the girls ran off to school. Hime still had her doubts about this family. _Somehow, that felt too easy. _

"Hime, could you help me with the tie?" Tohru asked as she changed in the school's bathroom. Hime smiled and helped her sister with the odd sailor style tie. Tohru was absolutely hopeless with the tie. They had used the school's washing machine, finally happy to wear clean clothes. They stepped from the bathroom with huge smiles on their faces. Hime stopped outside the door while Tohru closed it. How did she not sense another presence?

"Hello, Miss Honda, Hime." Yuki leaned against the window parallel to where they were standing.

"Hello, Yuki!" both girls kept their smiles, but directed them to the boy.

"So, did you tell your friends about this morning?" he asked. Hime didn't miss that the question was directed at Tohru.

"I said I fell. Oh! Your secret!" Hime had to fight the urge to face palm. "No! We won't tell a soul!"

"Really, it's alri-"

"I'll write it in blood if I have to!" she rolled up her sleeve, ready to seal the promise. Hime saw Yuki was becoming irritated. He moved to pin her to the wall, so she settled a hand on the girl's shoulder. The other one snaked around her head and cut off her upcoming speech.

"I'm sorry." Yuki's soft voice held sadness. "We may need to erase your memory." Hime furrowed her brow, not liking the sound of that. "It's sort of like hypnotism. You'll just simply forget. This isn't the first time someone has learned about us. It happened while I was seven. Some kids and I were playing in the garden behind our house. A girl tripped on a rock and bumped into me." Hime eyed the silver haired boy, her bright blue eyes threatening to blur with tears. She imagined a little Yuki running around having so much fun, only to lose his first friends by having him erased from their small minds. She couldn't imagine how awful that must feel. "Afterward, we had to erase all of those children's memories." He became lost in his thoughts, eyes welling up slightly.

"Yuki? Are you alright?" Tohru asked. Yuki bent his head in a way that his bangs covered his eyes. "I can't go against Akito's decision. That's why...I'm sorry." he pushed past them. They both moved to catch up with him. Tohru caught his arm and stumbled into him. Smoke lifted from the boy's body, leaving a rat and clothing on the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" Tohru nearly hit her head on the wall.

"It's okay, as long as no one else saw."

Tohru scooped him into her hands, bringing him to eye level. "What I wanted to say was thank you for worrying about us. We're not scared. Hime even suggested this might happen. We appreciate your concern, but we're fine. We understand if you need to go this far to keep the secret. There's a reason it's called a secret, right? You should do whatever you're comfortable with." Hime heard the smile in Tohru's voice. She also gave a reassuring smile and stroked the rat's cheek. His eyes began to water and shined in the school's artificial light. He set one of his tiny paws on her fingertip, cradling it. She leaned in to whisper to the younger girl. "Hime is right. You can erase our memory, if you need to, but afterward, will you please still be our friend?"

Right after the touching moment, Yuki turned back to a human. Hime whistled again and Tohru turned away. Yuki quickly threw his uniform back on. "Sorry, the amount of time between each transformation varies a bit." He turned to them, his tie completely askew.

"Yuki, where did you learn to tie a tie?" Tohru giggled. He looked down.

"I guess I've never been good at that." Tohru pushed Hime toward him. She took the fabric between her delicate fingers and fixed the tie. She even smoothed out the wrinkles. He saw she was careful to work with the tie only, and not brush his chest. When she finished, she looked at Yuki and smiled softly.

"It really didn't bother you?" Hime shook her head.

"Don't worry! We closed our eyes in time!" Tohru replied cheerfully. Hime resisted the urge to hit her head against the wall. _How ignorant can you possibly be, Tohru? _Yuki's cheeks became a faint pink, knowing Hime did not look away until the smoke was almost clear.

"Would you like me to walk you back to class?" he smiled at them. Both girls nodded. As they walked through the empty halls, Yuki glanced at them from the corner of his eyes.

"Thank you."

"No problem! Fixing ties is Hime's specialty!" Both Yuki and Hime chuckled at her response. _Oh, Tohru. _

"We're back!" Yuki opened the door to the house. They received no response. "Shigure? He must have gone out."

"I'm gonna put away my bag." Tohru said from the stairs. Hime watched her disappear on the second floor. She caught Yuki's eye and ushered him over with her index finger. He came closer and she leaned in close, until her mouth was almost touching his ear.

"I may not be much of a talker," her soft voice seemed a rare beauty to him. "but I'm a great listener. What Tohru said this morning is true for the both of us. And since I'm quiet, I'm more qualified to keep secrets. So, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you." She spoke in a hushed whisper, he almost needed to strain to hear. That's the most she's ever spoken and he knew it. Still, her offer touched him. They pulled away from each other and smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." And he meant it. He's never heard her voice before and he was surprised to find it was clear and pretty. Hime suddenly sensed harsh irritation from upstairs. _Kyo is here. _Before she could react, Shigure slid open the door.

"Yuki, Tohru, Hime, I'm home! And Kyo, you better not be tearing up my house again!" he yelled.

"Oh! Forget it!" Kyo came stomping down the stairs, Tohru not far behind. He left the house.

"Don't worry, he'll be back. Anyway, can you come in here for a second?" he beckoned the three to the table. "I had a talk with Akito today." Hime felt Yuki tense. She awaited the news Shigure brought. "And he's decided to trust you." She let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.

"You mean, there's no punishment?" Tohru asked. Shigure looked surprised.

"What do you mean? You can keep the secret..."

"I'm so happy!" she expressed. Hime still felt uneasy. She knew the head of a family wouldn't just let a secret like this go. She contemplated whether to worry while the boys walked from the room. Tohru pulled her up and followed a moment later.

"Excuse me? I'm sorry to interrupt, but you've both been so nice to us. I hope it's no trouble." They both bowed at the hip. Yuki looked back in surprise.

"It's no trouble at all. Just make yourself at home."

Hime and Tohru stood at the entrance to the kitchen. _We've got our work cut out for us. _Hime tied her hair back. The kitchen was a decent size, but it was filled to the ceiling with too-full trash bags.

"Well, it's not gonna clean itself!"

"I'll help." offered Yuki. "Just tell me where to start." Shigure joined the cleaning party.

"You better not. The closest thing he's seen to a mop is that haircut of his." Yuki narrowed his eyes at that comment.

"That's alright! We'll take care of it! We wouldn't be earning our keep if we let you help, anyway." _That's my Tohru. _

"I guess I'll step out, then." Shigure left the building.

"If you got it covered, I'll go, too." Yuki said, leaving them to their work.

After hours of sorting trash, washing dishes, and just scrubbing the mold from every surface, they were done. Right after they removed their bandanas, Yuki walked in. He paused, stunned at the sparkling counter tops and clean floor.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say I walked into the wrong house!" he glanced around the room. "Since when did we have a rice cooker?" _Wow..._

"Hime found it in the trash. And we hope you have an appetite, because lunch will be ready in a few moments!"

The girls set the table, Hime arranged the food. They watched as Yuki took his first sip of the soup. "Delicious!"

"It's not too bland?" Tohru said.

"It's perfect! Best lunch I've ever had!" he took another sip. Hime kept an ear out for any sounds outside. _Kyo and Shigure aren't far. _

"It's a shame for those two to let such a meal go to waste." Yuki said before taking a bite of fish, almost reading her mind.

"Oh, yeah. You went out, too. Where'd you go? Shopping?" _He didn't come back with groceries, Tohru. _

"Actually, I was at my secret base." Hime instantly knew he shouldn't have said that. Tohru went into a fit of questions, imagining a fort with a 'no girls allowed' sign. Hime wasn't listening, twisting the red butterfly ring on her right middle finger. _**He's in a fit of rage. Watch out. **_The wind told her. The scent of an angry cat was delivered with the warning. As if on cue, Kyo slammed open the door, obviously upset. Shigure followed closely behind. She noticed he looked nice, dressed in a suit and his hair combed.

"Don't forget, it was Akito's decision!"

"I don't give a damn about Akito!"

"Kyo, do you want some lunch?" Hime almost slapped the girl.

"Shut up!" Kyo shut the door. She felt a growl forming in the back of her throat. Shigure shed the coat to his suit and sat at the end of the table.

"Kyo's upset because I made him take an entrance exam." Hime had a seriously bad feeling about that. He picked up a pair of chop sticks. "As of today, he's the newest student in your school. And he's in your class. He'll also be living with us from now on." Yuki stood up, his violet eyes reflecting the death of Shigure. Hime flinched at the amount of hate his slim body radiated.

"Don't you dare take a single bite! Get out!" he hissed. Shigure trembled in slight fear.

"I thought you would be mad. Kyo pulled a bit of a vanishing act. He hid in the mountains for four months. He was training." he explained.

"Let me guess, he was up there meditating under waterfalls and fighting bears." Hime thought the first wasn't a bad idea. She hadn't done that in a long time. She longed for the cool water to glide over her skin, relaxing her even farther. She understood why Yuki and Kyo didn't like each other. It seemed the family didn't approve of Kyo, either. For the first time since their meeting, Hime felt a pang of pity for the boy.


	3. Chapter 3

"_**Bold Quoted Italics"**_= Hime's singing

_Underlined Italics_= Hime's writing

Chapter 3: New Student

Hime stayed by the classroom door, munching on a stick of Pocky while watching the other students surround Kyo. The Yuki Fan Club girls were in the center of the group, trying to push to be face-to-face with carrot-top. Kyo's hair stood on end. He backed as far as he could from the students.

She tried to ignore his aura's cry for help as she felt the chocolate coat her tongue. The thin biscuit exposed itself as she bit through it, moving to the next section. She glanced at Tohru and their friends, Uo and Hana.

"His electric signals are exactly the same as Yuki's." Hime saw the faint electric waves coming from Hana. The girl stood by Hime, her usual stoic expression and eyes that displayed no emotion on her face. Her long black braid slung over her shoulder. Tohru and Uo looked to her in surprise. Uo chuckled, her blonde hair hung over her right eye. She stopped Yuki as he walked in the room.

"Hey, so is that guy really your cousin?" she asked. Yuki cocked his head.

"That is the rumor going around. I prefer to leave it at that." almost immediately after he said that, Kyo stood from his desk. One of the girls latched onto his arm. Hime watched in dismay as he grabbed the girl and twisted her am behind her. He ran to the window, slid it open, and jumped from the second story. He landed in the grass and ran off.

"He looked like a cat trying to get out of the bath!" Uo laughed. From the corner of her eye, she saw Yuki step from the room, shutting the door behind him. She felt the urge to follow him. She slinked down the hallway, finding him heading to the courtyard. Kyo sat against the wall.

"What do you think you were doing, you stupid cat?" Yuki asked, irritation dripping from his voice. "If you act like an idiot, I'm the one who's gonna have to hear about it."

"Why would you want to go to school with all these crazy girls, anyway?"

"I did it because Akito wanted me to attend an all boys academy."

"What do you know, you spoiled rat? I'm gonna prove I'm better than you! Do you hear me, rat boy?" Sometime amongst the chaos, Tohru found her way behind Hime. The younger girl ran and caught Kyo in her arms. Orange smoke rose from him. She sat on the ground with his uniform in her arms and the orange cat in front of her.

"I'm so sorry, but I saw what was going on. I had to stop it! You really shouldn't be fighting at school, especially on your first day." she tried to get Kyo to calm, but Hime knew she was just making the situation worse.

"Shut up!" he yelled, arching his slim back. "Who do you think you are, you stupid little girl! From now on, just stay the hell away from me!" Something in Tohru popped. She calmly stood up and walked away, muttering to herself about how he hated her. Hime turned the corner, right behind Yuki. _If I didn't have this much self-control, I'd skin the orange hide from the cat-boy. _

"She just wants to be your friend." she muttered. Yuki barely caught her voice, but once the words clicked, he knew who they were directed to.

"You truly are an idiot." he said to the cat.

"So, what? Are you gonna hit me now?" he replied.

"And wouldn't it hurt more if I didn't." Yuki gestured with his head for Hime to follow him back to class. She sighed, but followed closely behind.

"Where's Tohru?" Shigure asked as Yuki and Hime walked through the front door. The two teenagers kicked off their shoes.

"She's working tonight. I'm actually thinking about picking her up." Yuki responded, in his usual calm way. _You're not the only one thinking about walking her home. _Hime decided to skip this one day, allowing Tohru to break through Kyo's shell in private.

The next morning, everyone in the household piled around the table. Well, everyone except Hime. Shigure started with his usual antics too early this morning. Kyo got annoyed and started to yell at Yuki.

"Do you like the food?" she asked hurriedly.

"No, I don't!" Kyo yelled, then realized what she asked. Yuki glanced around the table. For a quiet girl, Hime really made the room feel empty without her.

"Where's Hime?" he became a little worried. She's always preparing breakfast before anyone else wakes up, but Tohru made the food this morning. Tohru gave them a sad look.

"She's still in our room. She had to write an essay for class."

"She pulled an all-nighter?" Shigure was surprised, if not a bit concerned. Tohru didn't understand why they were worried.

"She never sleeps, so-" she began. They all stopped mid-bite when they heard footsteps on the stairs. Hime emerged with a huge smile on her face. She danced around the room as she slung her bag over her shoulder. She bent to give her sister a tight hug. When she let go, she danced out the door, heading to school.

"Oh, no." Tohru ran upstairs, grabbed a pill bottle and a bottle of water. She ran out the door to catch up to Hime. "Hime! You need to take your medication!"

At school, Tohru held up a deck of cards. "Why don't we play Rich Man Poor Man?"

"Ask that damn Yuki to play. I don't wanna." Kyo said from his desk. Uo challenged him to a game, then he was on board. Tohru looked around to get Yuki to play, but he wasn't in the room. After a few minutes, Kyo flipped his deck onto the desk.

"Revolution!"

"Revolution makes all high cards low, right?"

"Wait!" Hana turned to them. "Reverse Revolution." Yuki stood just outside the classroom, behind Hime. They watched as the group around Kyo grew. Yuki moved to step away. Hime turned to follow. She almost missed him in the hallway. She whistled to get his attention. Once he turned to her, she held out a small folded paper. He gently took it from her grasp, careful not to brush his fingers against hers. On it, in almost calligraphic handwriting, were written the best words he could have ever read.

_My offer still stands. I'm here for_ _you_.

If it wasn't for his curse and her dislike for physical contact, he'd take her in his arms and hold her as close as he possibly could.

"Rich Man Poor Man? I know the rules, but I've never played it." Yuki said to Tohru after school. The twins and two Sohmas stayed behind, mainly because Kyo lost a bet and had to clean the classroom. He ran around with a mop, wiping up the floor as quickly as he could.

"You should play with us next time!" she suggested. Hime, standing behind Tohru, gave him a smile. He gratefully returned it.

"It looks like Kyo was the loser today." he glanced back to the cat, who stopped in his watery tracks.

"I'll win next time." he turned to Yuki and stuck a finger in the silver haired boy's face. "Just like I'll win against you!"

"Wait. Wait, I think I've heard this one before." he replied sarcastically. Hime chuckled silently.

"No joke, asshole. I will beat you, and that's a promise." Hime didn't miss that he seemed to be in a hurry to beat him. She wondered why that was. She watched the boys fight. _At least this time, it's only verbal. _She thought too soon, because Kyo threw the mop and ran to Yuki. In defense, he kicked carrot-top straight in the chin. After making sure Kyo wasn't going to attack again, he walked from the room. _He didn't hold back. He must really be upset. _

Hime stood outside the building Tohru worked at. She just got off work herself, usually clocking out before Tohru finishes her own job. She stood counting the money she made in tips. She stuffed them in her pocket when she saw a figure coming her way. Yuki. He waited next to her. If she would've known he was going to pick Tohru up, she would let him be. A gust of wind pulled her eyes away from him. She sighed and pulled her coat closer to herself. The air carried the scent of heavy rainfall. The very thought of a storm made her smile, she loved the rain.

"Hime." Yuki's soft voice graced her eardrums. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I just want to say thank you. And I promise, if there's something bothering me, I'll come to you. Of course, I'd like to return the favor, but I guess that would be difficult." He chose each word to his last sentence carefully, so as not to offend the girl in any way. "I just came to walk you both home."

"An escort two nights in a row! You two sure know how to make a couple of girls feel special!" Tohru ran out to meet them, having caught his last comment. They talked for a few seconds, but a passing man pushed Tohru into Yuki, causing him to transform. Tohru carried his clothes while Hime carried him on her shoulder.

"For years, living at the main house felt like living in a cage." he started to tell his story. Hime felt a little flutter in her chest; no one has willingly opened up to her before. "Akito kept as far away from everyone as he could. I wanted to live a normal life. I wanted to move in with Shigure and enroll in a normal school. It wasn't until later that I knew why he let me go so easily; I could leave the house, but leaving the cage wasn't so easy." He buried his head into Hime's neck, right under her ear. She knew it was so he could keep warm. "I'll always be different because I'm a Sohma. What scares me is, if I get too close to some one, they'd realize that, too. I'm not like Kyo, he's shy at first, but opens up to people once he gets to know them." Hime reached a hand to the rat and slowly stroked his neck and back. "Because of what he is, he'll never be accepted into the Zodiac, but isn't it better to be accepted for who are among normal people? That's all I want." Hime understood why he got so mad at carrot-top. The boy couldn't see what he had, and wanted to be part of a family Yuki tried so desperately to get away from.

"People do accept you, Yuki." Hime tried, in a raised voice. Tohru almost couldn't hear from where she stood. "We love you, and accept you for who you are. You're a sweet young man. You just need to open your eyes and see how many people really love you." _Except for those fan girls, _she added silently. _They're just crazy and obsessive. _

"That isn't me. Everyone accepts me because I'm nice, but I only act nice so people will accept me. I'm not a good person. I'm just...selfish." Lightning flashed across the darkened sky. Hime was almost jittery with excitement. The rain instantly drenched all three teens. Of course, the curse chose the moment Yuki was sitting on Hime's shoulder to have him change back.

Both girls turned away.

"This is bad." he pushed his hair away from his eyes.

Yuki led them deep into the woods to a small garden. "This is my secret base." He pulled a tarp from under a bush and allowed the wind to unfold it. "Miss Honda, Hime, you are both good people."

"Us? No one has ever said that before." Tohru gasped. _They say it about you all the time. However, I don't hear that a lot. At least, not in that sense. _"Maybe we're just trying to be nice so you'll like us! Maybe we're just selfish!"

"I don't think you could if you wanted to." he chuckled.

"I don't know about that; everyone can be a little selfish sometimes. However, Hime says it's better to give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Everyone starts out wanting things: food, care, shelter. It's just natural instinct. Kindness is what we learn as we go. It can be developed at any stage in life, in any shape and size." Both girls imagined their mother, Tohru realized how much Hime resembled her. "Ever since Mom told us that, we've imagined how others' would look. For example, yours would look like a..." she trailed off, not knowing what would resemble his. Hime knew exactly what it would be, so she picked up for Tohru.

"Yours would be like a candle, Yuki." she said with a grin. "When you're around, you bring more light into the room. Everything just becomes brighter. It makes me want to smile."

"Now you're looking at us like we're crazy." Tohru chimed in.

"Uh, no." Yuki caught the expression on his face. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not used to talking like this."

"But we're glad we're talking." Hime piped up again. "If you feel comfortable enough to share your feelings, it's a sign that we're becoming closer friends. I want to be close to you, and I know Tohru wants to as well." The girls shared a knowing smile. Yuki grinned to himself, Hime is opening up a bit more to him. She's talking more, and he doesn't mind at all.

They reveled in the silence as they hammered down the tarp. Of course, Hime didn't get the chance to dance, because the rain let up.

"Should we pick something while we're here?" Tohru asked.

"The leeks look like they're ready." Hime observed.

"I was wondering, the next time you play that game, could I play, too?" Yuki looked to the girls.

"You didn't seem interested before, but I doubt anyone would mind."

"I just let my shyness get the best of me when I saw everyone together, but I'd like to join you."

"Of course! We'll introduce you to Hana and Uo."

"Uo is always looking for a new victim." the blonde warned. Yuki grinned, the moonlight accentuating his handsome features.

"Thanks for the warning." Hime stared at him, his dazzling smile actually reached his eyes. _**His smile is gorgeous. **_whispered the breeze. _Be quiet. _

Tohru set a plate of steamed leeks in front of everyone. "Eat up!" Kyo glared at the dish in disgust.

"Are you crazy? I hate leeks!" he yelled.

"And onions, and miso. Am I leaving anything out?" Shigure casually commented, reading the newspaper.

"Hey, miso is okay as long as it's soup!" Hime looked to Yuki for help. He nodded and spun Kyo's chopsticks around his skilled fingers. He grabbed Kyo's nose to turn him, and shoved a large chunk of the steamed plant in his mouth.

"Just eat it." Everyone stared, wide eyed. He held his nose until carrot-top was forced to chew the food. He decided to pass out, instead.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Life is a Boar

A slight earthquake woke Hime from her daze. She sat up on the couch, listening for the a cry that never came. The earth wasn't moving, the thunderous roll through the soil and air are coming from a different source.

"Sounds like she's here early." Shigure stared at the front door, ignoring the paper in his hands. Kyo was automatically on alert. He tried to run from the room, but Shigure caught the back of his shirt, causing him to run in place. The rumbling finally stopped at the front entrance. Tohru stepped forward to investigate, only to be startled by a little girl lurking in the doorway. She stayed close to the wood panel, her hand shyly covering her face. Her hair matched Tohru's color and was about an inch longer than Hime's.

"Are you Tohru Honda or Hime?" she asked. Her gray eyes sparkled under her bangs. She moved to reveal a bit more of her body, enough for Hime to notice a bump of the girl's bust under her arm. Whoever this girl was, she's not as young as she initially thought. Hime sighed in irritation. Usually she could tell a person's age from a single glance! _**You need to visit us soon; you need to rejuvenate. **_

"I'm Tohru. Hime is the blonde on the couch." Hime waved from her perch.

"I'm Kagura. Kagura Sohma." her eyes searched the inside of the house. _Who is she looking for? _"I heard that Kyo was here. Please tell me it's true." A small gleam shined over her eyes at Kyo's name. Hime didn't like the look. She mentally braced herself for the worst.

"Would you like to come in and see him?" Tohru offered. Kagura caught sight of carrot-top and gasped, placing both hands over her lips. Kyo tried even harder to run. She ran passed Tohru to Kyo, yelling his name the whole time. A cat shaped bag was strapped to her back. An orange cat shaped bag. Hime decided to join the party at the table, just in time for Kagura to zip by. The scent, which she had officially dubbed the Sohma Scent, of Kagura reached her nostrils. _Dear God, she's part of the Zodiac! _Hime groaned in disbelief. Of course, no one could hear her.

Kagura clamped her hands together, holding them to her chin. "Is it really you?" _Who the hell else would he be? Waldo? _"Why did you go away for so long? You didn't call me or send a card." Kyo started to tremble, sweat forming along his brow. "Where were you? Oh, darling." Hime felt the change in Kagura's demeanor. "I missed you so much!" she punched Kyo straight in the jaw. H flew threw the door, Kagura running for him outside. She caught him by the ankle and swung him in circles, high above her head.

"Well, it appears we'll need another door." Yuki watched Kyo's rag doll body spin. Kagura's short green dress lifted a bit. Hime thanked the Elementals she was wearing black leggings. She swung the boy so fast, she could barely make out the white long sleeves of her undershirt.

"This is normal for Kagura. This is how she shows her affection." Shigure explained, after a small complaint about how the world was conspiring against his house.

"She does tend to get a little carried away, especially around Kyo." _Yuki, that's not a 'little' carried away. _"You may not guess, but she's two years older than us." Hime's icy eyes observed the girl. _There is no way in Hell she's eighteen. _

"She's also part of the Zodiac." Shigure said to the girls. _I knew it! Now, what animal is she? _She watched Kagura continuously beat the living tar out of Kyo. Punch after punch, she understood why Kyo cringed when he knew who was here. She almost wished she would have helped him escape in time.

Blood spattered the yard. Finally, Kyo's body couldn't take any more beating, and he fell to the ground. Kagura stopped her abuse long enough to observe the damage to her love.

"Kyo? Who did this to you?" she held his head to her chest, cradling his broken body.

"Um, I think it was you." Shigure said.

They sat at the table, talking over how cold it was in the room. Kagura apologized, explaining that when she saw Kyo, all her love just came out all at once. She was the same shy girl that was at the door earlier. Split personalities? _Now, it's a toss up; a cow or a boar? _

"It's really your fault, too, Kyo." she said, almost on the verge of tears. Hime handed him a cloth with some ice, hoping to reduce the swelling. "If you would have called me, I wouldn't have missed you so hard." _So hard? Is that her way of saying she wouldn't have beat him up if he contacted her? _"We are getting married, after all." Hime startled. _Say, what now? _

"Since when?" Kyo shouted.

"When we were kids, you asked me to marry you!"

"Only because you were about to kill me if I didn't!" Hime imagined Kagura holding a large boulder, waiting to drop it on little Kyo's orange head.

"At least now he'll have someone else to fight, instead of me." Yuki muttered.

"Congratulations." Shigure didn't seem to mean his words.

"We really do make the best couple, since we're both under the curse." she hung on him. Sure enough, neither of them changed. Of course, Hime already knew the specifications of those under a curse. "See?" Kagura wrapped her arms around Yuki. She noticed he didn't make one muscle move to return it. "It's okay for Zodiac members to hug."

"Why is that?" Tohru pressed.

"It's a mystery to us, too." he replied, calmly. _You may not know, but I do. _Kagura parted with Yuki and ran back o Kyo.

"Kyo! Do you love me? Do you hate me? Because I love you!" _This is almost as bad as those fan club girls at school. _"What do you think? I just told you what you think! Say something, dammit!"

Shigure turned to the twins, deciding to ignore the unofficial couple. He and Tohru talked about how she was a fan of the cat from the story. Kagura pounced on the idea that she had a rival. She yelled at Tohru that she loved everything about the cat and questioned what Tohru liked. The only thing that came out of Kagura's rant that caught Hime's attention was "I love Kyo! No matter what! Even when he changes to his other for-" that is where Kyo cut her off. At first, Hime payed no mind, thinking she was talking about Kyo's cat form. However, Kyo wouldn't have cut her off, knowing the girls already knew about it. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

She was too lost in her thoughts to hear Kyo threatened Kagura. Next thing she knew, Kagura had his arm twisted around his back, him yelling in pain.

"It's time to call for mercy, Kyo." Yuki opened a small candy wrapper. Tohru left to finish the laundry. Kagura, seeing an opportunity to mess with Kyo's belongings, opted to help.

While the laundry chaos went on, Hime grabbed the grocery list from the kitchen. She padded her pockets down, making sure she had her wallet. She passed Yuki on her way out. "I'm going to the store."

Yuki turned as she walked by. "Would it be alright if I went with you?" She nodded, not stopping for him to catch up. He must have told Tohru, because she was with him when they emerged from the house.

"I'm sure you've noticed, but Kagura has a one track mind when it comes to Kyo. She's had her heart set on marrying him since we were kids. It's a little silly, I guess." Yuki started a conversation halfway to the store. Hime hadn't spoken a word since Kagura came over, and when she announced she was going shopping, her voice was soft. He would do anything to have her talk again.

"I think it's amazing." Apparently Yuki's plan was working. "To have that kind of devotion to another human. To have those emotions for one person for so long. It's rare, and I've only seen it once in my life. I only wish there was more of that kind of love in this world." her glazed a bit. They reflected a sad memory that passed through her brain. She unconsciously traced her fingers over her clothed skin, right under the bump of her left breast.

"Hime? Are you alright?" Tohru asked. She really didn't have to, she knew what her sister was thinking of. "Don't think of that day. Remember all the good times since then!" Tohru offered her a wide smile. A smile Hime was not able to return.

_ What the hell happened here? _Hime, Tohru, and Yuki stared at the burnt kitchen. Kagura was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the charred layer from the surface.

"It's a long story." Shigure mumbled sadly.

"That's alright. I think we can guess what happened." Yuki responded. He was more upset over Hime than the kitchen. She hadn't opened her mouth since their brief conversation on the way to the market. They sat at the table, contemplating what to have for dinner. Shigure sighed, not wanting to order any take-out.

"Where'd the other home wrecker go?" Yuki asked. Hime was ready to punch him. He needed to learn to be a little bit nicer. Shigure pointed to the roof, where Kyo likes to spend his time sulking.

It was finally nightfall, Hime's favorite time of day. She grabbed her guitar and sat on the back porch. She struck a few chords, starting a soft, humble melody. Her calloused left fingertips pressed the strings along the neck, moving up and down. A rounded, well used pick plucked in rhythm to the song in her head. She played softly, then worked in a long crescendo, the music becoming quick and almost harsh. She sang along, making sure no one could hear her. From a loud, thunderous note, she gradually softened the beat. The song came to a close with one last soft pluck. She breathed the last word. She sat in beloved silence, feeling the presence that had been listening behind the door. She closed her eyes to savor the moment. Whoever was listening joined her on the porch, taking a seat beside her.

He didn't say a word, not wanting to ruin this perfect moment. The blonde had her hair back in a loose braid, her bangs falling over her closed blue eyes. The breeze blew a perfect curl over her pale cheek. He saw her sigh in contempt, breathing in the forest air. He's never seen her this at peace and it made him happy he could share such a moment with her. She had waited for a night like this, but the boy beside her was a surprise. She hummed a soft lullaby as they both bathed in the light of a half moon.

Kagura latched onto Kyo once again. He tried to shake her off, but to no avail. Hime almost chuckled at the sight. She threw her school bag over one shoulder, waiting for the other three to catch up. Kagura ran passed her in rage. She burst through the door, right into the paper boy. Yuki grabbed the paper and the boy's face, pushing him away. With a confused farewell, the boy danced back the way he came. Hime looked to the ground to find a small boar. _I knew it! _She smirked. Her senses were on high alert today, and she felt absolutely marvelous!

"I figured it out! She's a boar!" Tohru picked up the animal and cheered happily. _I think that's cheating. _"Kagura, I understand why you like Kyo so much. He has quite a few good qualities. The more I learn about them, the more I want to see him the way you do." Kagura must have misunderstood Tohru's meaning, because she jumped from her grasp and began attacking Kyo. Tohru intervened and quickly restated what she wanted to say. "I mean I hope I can be like you; being able to find the good qualities of the people I care about."

The boar's eyes began to water. "You want to be like me?" Smoke lifted from her body. She leaned against Kyo, buck naked. "I don't know what to say!"

"Get some clothes on!" he shouted.

"Bye!" Kagura waved. Tohru waved back as they parted ways.

"Oh! I forgot to do some planting with all the commotion." Yuki said.

"Are you planting something new?" Hime asked. He smiled at her.

"Yes. Strawberries." He watched her eyes widen. Her lips parted in a dazzling smile.

"That's great! We love strawberries!" she and Tohru yelled at the same time.

"I figured you might. That's why I'm planting them." _Awe! _Hime didn't have time to enjoy her thoughts for long. Kagura ran back and tried to give Kyo the kiss she forgot to give. Hime sighed, but smiled despite herself. _This family is going to kill me, but I guess I couldn't die happier. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: True Family

Hime tried her best to walk down the stairs, but every step sent a sharp wave of pain through her left leg. She supported herself on the railing as best she could, doing her best to keep her weight on one foot. Successfully off the steps, she limped to the couch. She sat on the arm and fell back. Her blonde curls framed her face on the cushion.

"Hime, come on, we're gonna be late!" Tohru passed the couch. Hime sighed and righted herself. She braced for the pain and pulled herself to her feet. She cringed and fought back the gasp. Hissing through clenched teeth, she joined the others on their walk to school.

"You've been looking a bit off lately. You alright?" Kyo asked. She shot him an icy glare and grumbled silently. _No! I'm only limping! _She stumbled and caught a nearby tree branch.

"I may have injured myself at work last night." she mumbled. None of them liked the sound of that.

"Maybe you'd like some help?" Tohru suggested. Hime tried to resist Tohru's help, but soon gave up. She allowed the girl to wrap an arm around her waist and take some of her weight as they walked.

"How'd you get hurt?" Yuki took Hime's bag from her. She usually hated being separated from its contents, but didn't seem to mind today. He watched her closely, knowing something was definitely off with her. Besides the limping.

"I don't remember how I got hurt." she lied. "Please, can we drop the subject?" Yuki was taken aback. She was never like this. He can't recall any time she's lied to them, she's never even snapped, but this was the closest thing to upset he's ever seen her. He observed her closely, as did Kyo and Tohru. They found her cheeks were a bit flushed. Could she also have a fever?

"Hime?" Tohru brushed a curl behind her sister's ear.

"Yes?" her voice was becoming faint.

"What's wrong?" Hime looked to the girl, their faces too close together for her comfort. She avoided eye contact and answered her question.

"You'll find out soon enough."

The girls spent their lunch in the library, looking for books on gardening, recipes, and the mind of a martial artist. Well, Tohru was looking. Hime stayed on a bench by the check out desk. The door opened and a teacher addressed the girls.

"I've been looking for you. There's a phone call waiting for you in the staff office." Hime gave Tohru a look of complete dread. This is what she was so upset about.

Tohru placed the receiver by her ear. "Hi, Grandpa." then she went silent.

Hime clumsily sat next to Tohru. "The renovations are done." Shigure gasped and set down the paper. Kyo even stopped practicing his punches in the yard.

"I see, if memory serves, you were planning on moving back after the renovations were done." Sigure recalled.

"What renovations?" Kyo demanded. Tohru told him of how they came to live with Yuki and Shigure. She started from their mother's death and finished at their grandfather having to expand his house for his daughter and her children to live in. Kyo harshly cut her off, upset by the news of them leaving.

"We just witnessed what I like to call misdirected rage." Shigure said.

"I believe the technical term is being an ass." Hime finished, chuckling a bit. She stopped when she felt Yuki's presence on the other side of the wall. His Sohma Scent radiated sadness. _He must take the news a bit hard. _

"We'll go pack our things and be out of your hair by this evening." Tohru said, helping Hime to her feet. The older girl doubled over, cringing. Tohru slid open the door, allowing Hime to exit first. Hime came face-to-face with the one person she hoped she didn't have to say good-bye to. Yuki. He stood stock still, his eyes focused on them. Hime tried her best not to flinch under his violet gaze.

"Thank you so much for what you've done for us." Tohru bowed, leaving Hime to momentarily fend off gravity herself. Yuki looked like the news caught him off guard.

"Uh, anytime." he watched them hobble to their room. _A bright man like you, and what poetry spews from your mouth? 'Anytime.' _

"Oh, Tohru, Hime, I didn't expect you to be here so early!" their aunt forced out. Hime narrowed her eyes and choked back the growl forming deep in her chest. Their aunt and cousins were worse than slime, judging the two girls because of what their mother was like when she was their age. Not that they actually knew anything about her family. She glared at them until Grandpa made his entrance.

"Hime! Tohru! Welcome home!" Their grandfather was a nice old man who understood what Hime was suffering through. He welcomed Kyoko, their mother, into his family when no one else would. Smiling at him, the girls went to their room to unpack.

"Make sure you put your crap where I can't see it!" their horrendous cousin, whose name Hime never bothered to learn, told them. "I swear, what's the point of making the house bigger, if I'm gonna share a room with two other people?" she muttered out the bedroom door. Hime, who was sitting on the only bed in the room, sank her extended fingernails into the pillow.

Over the next few days, both girls mastered the art of the fake grin and bearing the weight of verbal abuse. They did all the chores, including the cleaning and the laundry. Hime even slipped a few pairs of Grandpa's socks in their oldest cousin's clothes pile. Not five days after they moved in, the line was crossed.

"Girls, can you spare a moment?" their aunt asked. Hime was getting really tired of hearing those words. "Is it right that you've been living in a house with three men?"

"No way! You were shacked up?" the female leech yelled. The mother blood sucker explained that she hired a detective agency. Hime's heart swelled as panic set in. If she knew about them staying with the Sohmas, what else did they tell her? Hime felt Tohru's heart break. She was trying her best to keep the tears in, feeling ashamed for the both of them. Hime twined her fingers through her younger sister's.

"Our son's dream is to become a policeman, so you can see there would be a problem if anyone in his family were to have a criminal record." Hime saw the boy's smirk. She felt her face twist in a viscous snarl, wanting to rip the skin right off his face. "Like mother, like daughters as they say. Or so I had feared. As long as you live in this house, I'll have to ask you not to do anything so reckless in the future."

The son stood from his seat at the table. "Tell us, living in a house with three guys, I bet you had all sorts of fun didn't you?" SLAP! Hime's eyes widened in happiness and appreciation as her grandfather slapped the boy across the face.

"I apologize." the old man said to Tohru and Hime. "Don't think badly of them. They're just disagreeable folks by nature." Hime couldn't agree more. She squeezed Tohru's hand and released. She limped into her room, her leg still sore from her accident at work. She grabbed her bag...and immediately panicked. She dumped out all the contents, the black notebook she kept a constant watch on was missing! She felt around her chest, finding the key she kept attached to the back of the stone still there. At least she knew the book hasn't been opened.

She searched the room, filing through clothes and emptying drawers. She couldn't find it. She sank to the floor, leaning against the side of the bed. She didn't care about the pain in her leg as the floodgates in her eyes burst. She sobbed, her arms wrapped around her knees. She didn't even notice the door open.

"Hime?" She gasped at the familiar voice. "Hime, what's wrong?"Yuki bent in front of her. She almost threw her arms around him, but she knew what would happen if she did. She couldn't let that happen to him. His question finally clicked in her brain. What was wrong? She didn't even know anymore. There were so many things dampening her spirits, she couldn't tell when the Elements last spoke to her.

Yuki sat on the bed. She looked up at him, her eyes slowly widening. She forgot one place to check. She shot to her feet, wincing at the sharp ache. She gestured for him to get up. The second his skinny arse lost contact with the piece of furniture, she flipped over the mattress. Right there sat her missing notebook, the lock unopened. She hugged it to her chest, then slipped it happily into her bag.

"Shall I help you pack?" Yuki asked, a smile in his voice. She turned to him, holding a bag that passed as Tohru's suitcase. She kept everything packed, in hope this might happen. She pinched his shirt sleeve, the closest she's ever come to touching him in his human form.

"Please, just take me home."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Slumber Party Secrets

Hime peeked her head from the bathroom, trying to spot anyone awake. She saw no one, so she emerged in her undies. _I can't believe I forgot to grab one of those! _She jogged to her room in a black strapless bra and black lacy bottoms. She quickly dug through her toiletries and grabbed what she needed. She began her quick journey back to the bathroom. Until a bedroom door opened.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Hime! I didn't re-" Yuki gasped, cutting off his sentence. His violet orbs trailed up her long toned legs, along her slim hips and waist, and stopped on her back. Scars littered her skin. Her hair barely covered a large pink bump just inches under and to the left of her neck's base. She slowly turned to face him. He saw the scars stretched around her left side, scattered and clumped chunks of scar tissue extended over chest and stomach. He was so focused on the scars, he almost didn't notice the cherry blossom tattoo that stretched over each side of her hips. His widened eyes didn't leave her body, making her even more uncomfortable with the situation. He wasn't going to say anything, shock overtook his body. So she left the awkward moment in the hallway to continue her morningly bath.

An hour later, she sat with Tohru and Shigure at the table. Tohru asked if she could tell their friends where they've been staying.

"As long as you don't mention anything about the Zodiac and whatnot, I don't mind." Shigure responded. Hime knew what would happen if Tohru told Uo and Hana where they are. They'd want to stay the night to check the place out. She nervously chewed on a piece of Pocky, feeling Yuki's stare on the back of her blonde head. She should have been more careful this morning.

"Hime, did you take your medication this morning?" Tohru worried for her sister.

"Before my morning bath." she simply replied.

The teens were home from school. Hime had successfully avoided Yuki for the whole day, trying to figure out how to explain her old injuries to him. She knew he was worried for her, and was even grateful he cared so much, but she didn't want to share that experience with them. Explaining the scars would mean she'd have to tell the whole story, and she wasn't ready for the judgment.

"My friends want to stay over tomorrow night." Tohru said to Shigure. _This is just going to make things harder for me._

"High school girls! High school girls! One! Two! Three! High school girls!" the pervert sang. "I wonder what kind of girls these friends are!"

"A Yankee and a psychic." Hime replied flatly. Shigure immediately stopped his cleaning. Everyone sat at the table, waiting for the two girls to arrive. A knock interrupted the silence, making Tohru get up to answer. Hime sat across from Yuki, keeping her blue eyes on her hands to avoid eye contact.

"There's a dog." Hana's voice made everyone freeze in panic. "Over there." A dog barked from the porch. Hime's heart began to beat again.

"Yes, that's a dog!" Shigure yelled nervously.

"These are our friends, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima." Tohru introduced their friends.

"What do you do to pay for this place?" Uo asked Shigure.

"I'm a writer. Well, more of a novelist." he replied.

"What? You're a writer?" Tohru yelled. How she didn't know that completely escaped Hime.

"Yes. Hime, are you done with the book yet?" he asked her. She nodded and slid the book she borrowed across the table.

"You sick bastard! Why would you write something like that?" Kyo yelled.

"More importantly, why would you read that dimestore smut, Hime?" Uo accused. Hime simply smiled nervously.

"I give it two thumbs up, Shigure!"

"Careful, Hime, you don't want to inflate his ego too much." Yuki warned. This was the first time since the incident yesterday morning.

"So, how did you meet Tohru and Hime?" Shigure asked their guests. Tohru decided to tell the story, screwing up several times.

"What have I done?" Shigure dead panned.

"Yeah, I could get a little rough back then." Uo chuckled.

"I thought it was awesome that you were in a gang. You protected Tohru, even when I couldn't. An idol to me, Arisa." Hime smiled. "You were, with the lack of a better term, spunky!"

"And how about you, Saki?" Shigure addressed the stoic psychic.

"Are you sure you want to know?" she said as she read the book Hime slid across the table.

"She met us in middle school, after she transferred into our class. At her old school she had caused something of a disturbance." Hime explained.

"I just thought of something fun we could do! I'll be right back!" Tohru ran upstairs.

"Well, that was a great story, but I just remembered that I have work to do!" Shigure strut to his workroom. _He ran off. _

"I can see that Tohru and Hime are fitting in just fine around here. But still, the four of us swore on Kyoko's grave that when the time came, we'd all help each other out." Uo said. "Because of Tohru, Hime, and Kyoko, I managed to climb out of all the crap I've gotten myself into. I was able to find that I could change. And I actually wanted to change. It bothers me that I wasn't able to help them, this time around. That they thought they had to go through this trouble by themselves, maybe they think they can't count on us or they think we're bad friends."

"I don't think that's it at all." Kyo said.

"Hime and Miss Honda are the kind of people who put others' well being before their own." added Yuki. He held Hime's gaze as he said this. She felt her heart flutter.

"Arisa. You and Saki are the best friends Tohru and I could ask for!" Hime said, making her voice as loud as she could, which wasn't very loud. "You're both as protective of Tohru as I am! And you both accepted me for who and what I am! You didn't judge me after I told you of who we are! And you promised to never tell Tohru of us! I know it kills you to keep such a secret from her, because it kills me, too!" she wasn't even thinking when she shared this out loud. "You worry about me, especially after Moher's death. Because you two are the only one's that know what really happened, I trust the both of you with all my heart. I haven't even told the people who I live with about it!" she slowly made eye contact with both Kyo and Yuki. She knew there was no return after she stupidly shared that. "I didn't tell them, not because I don't trust them, but I'm afraid of what they'd think of me. I know I won't be able to take it if they don't accept me after I tell them."

"Sorry I took so long! I hope you're ready to play!" Tohru entered the room, oblivious of the previous conversation. She held up a deck of cards. "Rich Man, Poor Man!"

"Yuki, would you like to shuffle the cards?" Hime offered.

"Sure." he blushed and pushed his bangs from his eyes.

It wasn't long before Uo and Kyo were at each others throats. They were face-to-face, yelling about cheating at the game. Kyo stood from his seat, still yelling.

"You running away?" Uo blocked his path.

"I'm going to the bathroom!"

"Awe! Gotta take a leak?"

"What's it to you!"

"Better hurry, we don't want you to piss yourself!"

"You got a foul mouth!" he tried to go around her again, but she stepped in his path. Too closely. Their chests bumped and orange smoke filled her vision. They all glanced around, not finding Kyo anywhere. An orange cat dragged a shirt to the porch and made his escape, without the notice of their guests.

"I know! Until Kyo gets back, why don't we play a game of sevens?" Tohru suggested. Uo was about to sit down, but slipped on Kyo's discarded pants. She lost her balance. Tohru moved to catch her, but slipped herself. Yuki saw this and slipped under her. She fell on him, as a rat. Hime quickly stood and grabbed Kyo's clothes. She stood on the porch and and urged the determined rat to run faster. Yuki hid under the porch with Kyo. Hime threw Kyo's clothes under with them. She felt the tension between them from in the house. She quickly gripped Yuki's clothing and tossed it over the wooden edge. Shigure popped in the room, distracting Hana from her psychic abilities.

With a small BOOM Kyo changed back. Shigure and Tohru moved to 'investigate' and bumped into each other. Tohru held a black dog.

"Woof!" he barked.

"You're back! I'd thought you ran away, Spot!" Tohru improved. _Spot, Tohru? Really? Nothing cool, like Onyx? _The dog barked happily, wagging his tail.

"It appears we've run out of snacks." Hana observed. She stood up, trying to find the kitchen. And collided with Kyo. To distract from the sudden appearance and disappearance of carrot-top, Shigure ran around and barked madly.

"I think Spot is trying to tell us he's hungry, don't you think?" Yuki came into the room, fastening the first tie on his shirt. Tohru went into the kitchen with Shigure, getting more snacks for the girls. Uo and Hana stared at Yuki while Tohru was in the kitchen. He felt uncomfortable, so he got up to check on Tohru. She came from the kitchen, carrying a large tray of jelly buns. He was flung into the air with the buns, blending in with them. Tohru tried to find him, but couldn't tell which one he was. Hime stood and took the tray from Tohru. She moved the tray around to catch the buns and caught Yuki in her hand. She quickly stuffed him in her shirt pocket and set the tray on the table. Meanwhile, she kicked his clothes up and caught them over her arm. She made sure no one saw the rat and clothes.

"That was epic!" Uo cheered.

"Thank you. I'm going to grab a beverage. I'll be right back." She walked into the kitchen and set the trembling rat on the counter. She stroked his little cheek. "Are you alright, Yuki."

"Y-yeah. I'm f-fine." he stuttered out, placing his tiny forepaws on her finger. She scooped him up and cradled him to her chest. She ran her nails lightly through his white fur. After a few moments, she set him on the floor.

"You clothes are on the counter. So change quickly when you transform." She saw his eyes were still watering a bit. He must have really been afraid of the fall he would have endured. "Yuki, I would not have let you fall. You know that, right?" He nodded, rather shakily. She picked him up and gave him a quick squeeze. Then, a thought struck her. "Hey, Yuki?"

He gazed up at her. "Yes, Hime?"

"I was wondering if..." she trailed off, feeling a tad awkward at asking her question. "I was wondering if I could bunk with you tonight."

"Why would you want to do that?" a light blush dusted his rodent cheeks.

"I don't do so hot with sleep overs." she simply answered.

"Um, sure. I guess that would be alright."

Nightfall hit. Uo and Hana joined Tohru in the girls' room. Hime had grabbed everything she needed for the night and was hanging out in Yuki's room. She was sitting on his bed, looking around. The room was simple and extremely clean. She never really got a good look at his bedroom before. She sighed.

"Yuki?" The boy looked her way. She avoided eye contact. "I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday."

"I didn't realize you were in a state of undress. And I'm sorry for staring. I was caught off guard." he rummaged around in his dresser, pulling out a set of pajamas. She retrieved hers as well. They changed with their backs to each other, their cheeks turning a dark pink.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about."

"I didn't want to ask about the tattoos." he replied stubbornly.

"Yuki, you know I'm talking about the scars. And honestly, I'd rather talk about how I got the scars rather than why I have the tattoos." she sat back on the bed. Yuki sat next to her. "The thing is, you told us your family secret. It doesn't sit well with me that you trusted us enough, but I have yet to tell you the truth. I love you guys, and I don't want to keep secrets from you. Especially after what you've done for us."

"I haven't heard you speak this much. You must really want to talk about it." he whispered gently.

"If it weren't for what we both have, I'd hug you." she chuckled.

"So, you have a curse, too?" he cocked a gray eyebrow.

"Actually, no. I guess you could call what my family suffers a 'blessing.'" She used her fingers to form air quotes on the last word.

"All right, I'll ask. What exactly is your blessing?"

"Well, to keep it simple, we're the secret keepers of the Snow Wolves." she replied shyly.

"The...Snow Wolves?" he asked, not understanding.

"Not everyone knows about them. Which is precisely why we exist." she began to explain. "However, I want to explain to everyone at the same time. So, if it's alright with you, I'd rather wait until tomorrow."

"Explain at your own pace. No one is rushing you." Yuki smiled. Hime returned the gesture and pulled back the comforter on the bed.

"Get some sleep, Yuki. I'll be at the window, if you need me."

"Good night, Hime." he yawned as he snuggled under the covers.

"Good night, Yuki."


	7. Chapter 7

Sub chapter 7: Secrets Revealed

"Tohru, why don't you walk Saki and Arisa home?" Hime suggested the next morning.

"That's a great idea! Are you coming with us?"

"No, I have a paper to write." Hime successfully lied. Tohru agreed and waved good bye to her sister.

"Shigure, may you call Yuki and Kyo? I need to speak with the three of you." she asked after she made sure Tohru and the girls left the house.

"Yuki! Kyo! Can you come down here for a moment?" he called up the stairs. Both boys ran down the stairs and joined them at the table.

"Alright, what I'm about to tell you has to stay between the three of us." she begged, making her eyes as pleading as possible. She saw all three nod from under her bangs. "Okay. Well, first off, I don't have weak vocal cords. I just say that so I don't have to talk as much."

"Really? Prove it." Kyo requested, being a lump of grump. Hime narrowed her eyes and began to sing. Her voice came out loud and strong, much like a professional singer's.

"_**I guess it's gonna have to hurt.**_

_**I guess I'm gonna have to cry.**_

_**And let go of some things I've loved**_

_**To give to the other side.**_

_**I guess it's gonna break me down.**_

_**Like fallin when you try to fly.**_

_**Sad but sometimes**_

_**Moving on with the rest of your life.**_

_**Starts with goodbye."**_

Her voice trailed off with the last line of the chorus of Carrie Underwood's 'Starts With Goodbye'. All three boys sat, stunned to silence. "Do you believe me now?" she asked. Her voice was at the same volume anyone else's voice would be.

"My family has a secret as well. I wanted to tell you guys, but I was scared. In all honesty, your curse is so cool! What my family has is very different than any freaking curse out there! And I was afraid that I'd be rejected by three of the most important people in my life." she wiped her eyes, stopping the threat of tears.

"Why would we reject you?" Shigure was thoroughly confused.

"Because my family did." she whispered. "My mother did not have the best relationship with her family, so there was no one out there to help her control her...blessing. It runs on my maternal side of the family, and only the females inherit the trait. I only had my mother to teach me, and my paternal grandfather was the only other person who accepted us. He took her in and allowed her to live under his roof until Mother and Father bought a house together. We were a family. Mother was relieved when she found out that Tohru didn't carry the trait, but it was a different story with me." she slipped a stick of Pocky from its box, nibbling on it to calm her nerves.

"She kept me from the other children, training me to control my abilities." she whispered.

"You still haven't told us what your...'blessing' is." Kyo interrupted. Hime stared at him. _Oh yeah._

"Centuries ago, my family lived in what is now known as Alaska in the United States. They shared a home with a wolf pack. The Snow Wolves, they were called. Not a very original title, but that's what they called themselves. Anyway, they lived together. My family were the only ones that knew the Wolves were a special group of guardians. Each Wolf guarded a force of nature; such as how to communicate with the elements or how to find fertile soil. My family and the Wolves shared their territory with a small group of dragons. After generations of harmony in the land, a terrible fight broke the peace. The war between the Snow Wolves and dragons raged for the better part of a decade. By the time the war had ended, every member of the pack had been slain. My family, who fought along side them, had survived. The spirits of the Snow Wolves had intertwined with our own, and had been passed through the bloodline. The surviving dragons went into hiding.  
"No one truly knows what happened to them, but we're always weary if they show up again." she avoided their gazes and tried to remember what else to say. "The alpha of the pack hadn't shown in our line for quite some time. That is, until I was born. She carried the burden of all the guarded forces, including her own. She was the Secret Keeper. Because of her, if I so much as briefly touch another human being, all their memories and secrets flood my brain. I immediately know everything about them. That's not the worst part, though. Throughout our lives, because I had skin contact with that person, I will always know how they're feeling and what they think." She took out her black notebook and slid it across the table. "I keep all the secrets in this book, mainly so I don't become overwhelmed. I don't talk either, just to be on the safe side. I'm afraid that if I open my mouth and speak, all the secrets I've kept will just pour out."

All three boys watched her with mixed feelings. They didn't know what to think of her explanation. They looked at each other, a silent agreement passing from one another.

"Not to be rude, but why do you take that medication in the morning?" Shigure suddenly asked. They watched as Hime's face went from pale to scarlet. The teenage boys were dreading the answer.

"Well, it only happens once every other month, but it has something to do with my...um..." she trailed off, becoming more embarrassed. "To put it simply, since I have a wolf spirit in me- complete with the same instincts and senses- I go into a form of heat. I take a medicine that I make to keep my going into heat at bay." She played with her ring as they shared a look. Kyo was the first to make a move. He took her shirt sleeve between his fingers, pushed his shirt collar aside, and set her hand over his heart. His memories and thoughts flooded her senses. All she saw was his family shunning him, his tears streaking his reddened face. A small Kyo watching his family, longing to be part of the kin who avoided him like the plague.

She brushed his carrot colored bangs from his unusual ruby eyes. She offered him a reassuring smile as she curled her slim fingers around the hand that kept hers on his chest. She brought his hand into her space and placed it over her own beating heart. She watched as the light in his eyes changed. He smiled back when the fogginess of her own memories cleared. Yuki followed Kyo's movements, while she replaced Kyo's hand with his. One memory in particular stood out to him, but he didn't press the matter.

When Shigure copied the boys, his movements weren't meant to be of the perverted type. Hime saw that he was actually being serious and meant well. Her heart swelled, the threat of tears made her eyes sting. She smiled widely as she allowed the tears to flow free.


End file.
